Real Estate Litigation Lawyers Worldwide.

A Real Estate Litigation lawyer handles conflicts where property rights or contracts are broken. This ranges from breach of contract (where a buyer or seller backs out illegally) and boundary disputes (neighbors fighting over fence lines) to commercial lease evictions and title defects (resolving ownership clarity). They also manage complex construction defect claims, representing homeowners against developers for structural failures like water leaks or foundation cracks.

A Quiet Title action is a specific lawsuit used to “silence” any challenges to your ownership. It is necessary when the property’s history is messy—for example, if a previous owner’s mortgage wasn’t properly cancelled or a long-lost heir might have a claim. The judge reviews the evidence and issues a court order declaring you the sole, legal owner, which allows you to obtain title insurance and sell the property without fear of future lawsuits.

If a seller gets cold feet and tries to back out of a signed contract, you can sue for Specific Performance. Because every piece of real estate is legally unique (money cannot buy an exact replica of that specific land), a court can force the seller to honor the contract and transfer the deed to you. This is a powerful remedy; often, just having a lawyer file the initial complaint is enough to scare the seller into closing the deal to avoid a trial.

“Lis Pendens” is Latin for “suit pending.” It is a formal legal notice filed with the county recorder that alerts the public that a lawsuit involving the property is active. Once filed, it acts like a “poison pill” for the seller because no title company will insure the property, and no buyer will touch it, effectively freezing the seller’s ability to sell or refinance the land until your dispute is resolved.

When business partners or siblings inherit a property and cannot agree on what to do (e.g., one wants to sell, the other wants to keep it), a lawyer files a Partition Action. The court will either physically divide the land (if it’s a large farm) or, more commonly for houses, order a forced sale of the property. The proceeds are then split mathematically among the owners after paying off the mortgage and legal fees, ensuring a clean break.

Yes, but commercial evictions are strictly technical. A lawyer must serve a precise “Notice to Pay or Quit” (often 3 to 5 days). If the tenant doesn’t pay, the lawyer files an “Unlawful Detainer” lawsuit. Unlike residential cases, commercial leases often allow landlords to lock the tenant out or seize equipment (“distress for rent”) to recover losses, but doing this incorrectly can lead to massive “wrongful eviction” penalties, so legal guidance is essential.

A construction defect is any flaw that reduces the property’s value or safety, typically categorized into design defects (architect’s fault), material defects (manufacturer’s fault), or workmanship defects (contractor’s fault). A lawyer hires forensic architects to pinpoint the cause—like window flashing installed backward, causing mold—and sues the liable party. In complex projects, they often sue everyone involved, letting the defendants’ insurance companies fight over who specifically pays the bill.

To win an adverse possession claim, a lawyer must prove the squatter’s use of the land was hostile, open, exclusive, and continuous for a statutory period (typically 10 to 12 years in the UK and US). They gather evidence like tax payment records, aerial photos showing fences, and witness testimony. Conversely, to defend against it, a lawyer only needs to prove that you gave the person “permission” to be there (even verbally), which legally breaks the “hostile” requirement and defeats their claim.